Improvement in beams and rafters



n. c. ruim-:KL`

Beams and Rafters.

`N0 146 350, Patentedlan.l3,!87`4.

UNITED STATES HEBMAN-C.LUEDEKE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEAMS AND RAFTRS.

Speciicatlon'forming part of Letters Patent No.'l416,350, dated January 13, 1874; application led November 24, 1873.

To all whom it muy concern:

Beit known that I, HERMAN C. LUEDEKE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Beams and Bafters, of which the following is a specication:

Theobject of my invention is to provide a beam or rafter to be used in the construction of. buildings which "will be fire-proof, and at t-he same time cheaper, lighter, and stronger than those heretofore used.

In order to describe my invention more fully, I will refer to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side View of my improved beam or rafter. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section' throu-gh the center of the same, and Fig. 3 is an end View. l

The two sides A A of the beam or rafter may be made either of metal or wood, and are placed together in such a manner that a triangle is formed in an acute angle, leaving one side open; or, if metal is used, the two sides may be made in one piece and bent into that shape. A bar or tube, B, is placed in the inl terior of thistriangle, about the center, but a little nearer to the open side or base, and is held in position by the cross-supports C C.

If it is desired, the interior of the triangle may be filled with mortar or cement, which, when it hardens, will be held in place by the When my improved beam is used in the construction of buildings and for other purposes, the base or open side is placed downward, and, the acute point of the triangle being upward, the brick arches or other material which forms the ceiling and ooring will rest againstthe inclined sides A A, and be wedged in between the rafters, and the iron or wooden sides of the beam, being entirely covered, are thereby protected from re. l

The principal use of the bar or tubeB is to hold the filling ofccment in place in the beam 5 and when it is desired to use the beam open and Without the filling, the supports C C being fastened to the sides AA, the tube B may be entirely dispensed with.`

I claiml. A beam or rafter composed of the sides AA and supports C C, substantially as shown and described.

2. A beam or rafter having sides A Aaud supports C G, in combination with a tube or bar, B, and lled with cement or other analogous substance, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described. i

- HERMAN G. LUEDEKE.

Witnesses:

FRANKLIN BARRITT, RICHARD G-ERNER. 

